Hannah Waldron
This interview was originally posted Aug 23, 2012. Since the interview Hannah has collaborated with SCP on a great textile collaboration called Tabi. Shop the collection in the link Below.
Hannah Waldron’s work often explores the textures, patterns, forms and structures of her surroundings, and has an interest in the development of landscape over time.
Hannah graduated from the University of Brighton in 2007, and now works commercially as an illustrator and designer as well as, in her personal work, exploring the process of weaving.
Previous clients include the V&A, Pizza Express, Paul Smith, GQ Italy, Unico Japan, Computer Arts projects, Routledge publishing, Fenchurch clothing among others.
How important do you think your working and home environment are to you? … for example is the work you make reflected in your personal space?
Right now I’m in transition between living in London and moving to Stockholm, I’ve gotten rid of most of my belongings and am travelling around for the summer lightweight so I don’t actually have a personal space right now so its quite hard to reflect on this question for me at the moment. But each place I go I have been creating work so I suppose I would say I am quite adaptable to the space around me as long as I have the ideas and images in my head and a desk to sit at.
Form, function or fantasy?
All 3! Starting with fantasy.
What do you think has informed your personal aesthetic?
So many paths and trails converge throughout the course of life thats its hard to pinpoint, I couldn’t really begin to list it all. One of the best pieces of advice I was given whilst studying at Brighton for my BA was to look at as many different sources as possible in order to create original work, and inspiration can come from the most unlikely of places.
Do you have a project that was a turning point in finding your creative
path?
I would say it’s more conversations and interactions with other people that have been my turning points, my friend was looking at my drawing and suggesting I should look at weaving and I’ve had several projects where the client has made suggestions that have led me to try new processes and formats. So I’ve learnt that dialogue is the most important catalyst for artistic change.
Do you have a dream project or client?
I would love to create a series of rugs and a mosaic in a public space.
How important is collaboration to you?
It’s not something I have done much but as I was just saying how great dialogue is it’s definitely something I would love to do more of! It looks like it would be a really rewarding experience. The focus of the past couple of years for me has been on learning the technique of weaving and tapestry and developing my own ideas in image making, but I think it would be a good time now to collaborate on something…should the opportunity
arise!
What is your opinion on taste and style?
I think they are quite meaningless words, because everyone has their own unique set of ideals of both. It can get quite unsettling when you think too much about those things, so I just think just like what you like, whatever that is!
Are you interested in trends in your field?
It’s definitely fascinating to be aware of what’s changing, developing, new trends popping up. You have to engage with the now and with the future and be ready to change, but a sense of permanence is very important to me too, to have both existing is the challenge.
Where is your favourite place?
Maybe Italy.
